Tag Archives: revelation knowledge

Some will say the Word of Faith movement is okay as long as it’s taught with balance. Before I understood that I was involved in the word faith, I eventually came to see the teachings as very one-sided. I did not consider it an issue. But no matter how much divine health was preacher, it was never a reality for me or anyone around me. People continued to get sick. People continued to die. No matter how many times Pastor Breedlove referred to how people could be making negative confessions behind closed doors which could result in death, I viewed divine health as a promise for him alone.

I remember becoming angry when I learned what we were taught was taken from books written by other preachers. Many leaders in the word faith movement read books from written by Kenneth Hagin Sr., Smith Wigglesworth, John G. Lake, T.L. Osborn, Fred Price, and Myles Monroe. They see these men as anointed messengers of great faith who empowered Christians to be world overcomers in every area of their life.

Those who are indoctrinated by the word faith movement and sing its praises, do so because they do not know the true origins of this false doctrine. Some believe the teachings of the word of faith movement are biblical lessons that went a little of course. They embrace the horrible term “chew the meat and spit the bone.” Some believe, as I once did, the teaching needs only be more balanced. The proponents of the word of faith (with more balance) reject our alarming cries because “we do not understand the whole counsel of God and do not have a theology that included certain things that challenged their faith.”

I believe the Galatians 1:8 that read “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” The word of faith movement as we know it today came through message Kenneth Hagin had face-to-face with Jesus. In Hagin’s book “I Believe in Visions’, he claims Jesus told him “If you will learn to follow this inward witness, I will help you in all the affairs of your life. If my children will listen to me, I will make them wealthy.” That should have been a red flag. But Hagin also said Jesus told him that people did not accept his message, they would drop dead.

The word of faith movement is not merely preaching one truth of God’s Word to the exclusion of the others, as some believe. It was first taught by E.W. Kenyon. I have read some of Kenyon’s writings that are available online. Regardless of whether or not Kenyon said ‘All that Christian Science lacks is the blood of Jesus Christ’ or if you believe the claims that taught new age metaphysical science mixed with Christianity (I believe he did), there is enough proof to see that Hagin was influenced by Kenyon’s teaching, even to the point of plagiarism. Hagin began his ministry with a lie.

Proponents of the word faith teaching engage in reductio ad absurdum arguments (Latin for reduction to absurdity). This is a common form of argument which seeks to demonstrate that a statement is true by showing that a false or absurd result follows is the result.

Examples:

Rocks have weight, otherwise we would see them floating in the air.

If you against the prosperity gospel, you believe everyone should be poor.

If you do not believe in tithing, you do not believe in giving.

We know God heals and blesses. We know he performs miracles. We also know that the only promise he gave is the seal of the Holy Spirit. We know that we can suffer and endure great heartache and pain, yet we continue look to the promise of eternal life.

The following is a list of SOME of problems I have identified with word of faith doctrine. This list is not in any order. Just one of these poisons is enough to move you from the narrow path to the wide path.

They teach you can give God orders by praying his word back to him.

They teach from select verses and reject others that conflict with their teaching.

They teach your positive words create good events in life and your negative words create bad events in life.

They teach man has the power to speak things to existence as God does.

They teach God will double or triple the amount of money you give.

They teach faith is a force that contains words.

They teach God is illegal in the earth and is unable to do anything without man’s permission.

They teach that anywhere in the bible were Christ says I am, you should write “I am too.”

They teach Jesus is not the only begotten son of God but the first to be born again.

They teach man is made in the image/deity God has and is a little God. At the same time, they teach God has the body of man.

They teach man can command angels.

They teach God’s sovereignty is limited, bound, trapped by his words.

They teach Jesus did come into the earth perfect but had to grow into his perfection.

They teach Jesus was not God made flesh, but a man anointed by the Holy Spirit.

They teach Jesus died spiritually and was reborn in hell.

They teach you must practice speaking in tongues in order to master your heavenly language.

They teach salvation includes divine health and wealth.

They teach you are the sum total of everything you’ve said or believed about yourself.

They teach the enemy can get to you through T.I.S. – Thoughts, Ideas, and Suggestions.

They teach the holy spirit is a power source one needs to just tap in to.

Although I heard these errors through one ministry over 11 years, not all word of faith teachers may teach every error. It is important to know these errors are also taught in other denominations and non-denominations. As men and women become ensnared by its seduction, it spreads.

If you heard these issues taught in your church, I strongly suggest you read the associated versus given to you in proper context. Read the entire chapter (the chapter before and after if needed). Also, read a few commentaries. A concordance and an interlinear bible were especially handy for me. I can assure you that if you are deceived by word of faith doctrine, you will need these tools. Praying will be hard…very hard. Sometimes, all you will be able to do stare at the wall and cry.